5 instant mood boosters for each of our 5 senses

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Do you feel unhappy, miserable, gloomy or melancholic? Are you in need of a mood booster?

Well, let’s be frank one can’t always surf on the high tides of life. We all have our moments when feeling optimistic is a task. 

Women are more susceptible to mood disorders than men, thanks to their fluctuating hormones and the worst enemy PMS (Pre-menstrual Syndrome).

I guess it’s normal to feel the blues of life generally. But what if the feeling is too empowering for us to handle and has become our second nature. This post is for all who need instant mood boosters to pick themselves up from the dust of sadness and despair.

Before, I share these mood boosters with you. I want to cast some light on our FIVE senses that act like input medium for our processor-brain. Our senses perceive and accept information via smell, vision, touch, taste and sound. So, to feel good, we can stimulate our brains with inhibitors that can stop our mental distress, calm down the nervous system, thereby uplifting our mood.

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Five simple instant mood boosters for each of our five senses

Here are the five ways we can boost our mood through each of our five senses when it feels like our world is crashing down –

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Vision: The Sense of Sight

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Watch a colourful movie

Movies are therapeutic and relieve our strain by changing our mood. As per medical science, movies break the continuous buildup of stress in our minds.

I love Hallmark movies on Youtube; they are light, cheerful and stress-free.

Revisit loving and inspiring snapshots

Capturing a moment in time is not just about securing a memory—it can help us appreciate our life more every day. So, when in tension, spare some time and stare at the beautiful pictures that can calm your soul.

The scenic beauty of nature

One of the most recent studies from the Journal of Environmental Psychology noted that simply staring at an image of natural scenery for 40 seconds is enough to trigger the brain into a more relaxed state. So, whenever feeling down, put on your pair of shoes and go out for a walk in nature’s beauty around you.

Wearing bright colours 

Research shows that colours can affect our moods and the way other people respond to us. Amazingly, colours can even change our heart rate, blood pressure and respiration, as researchers Keith Jacobs and Frank Hustmyer discovered in 1974.

Meeting with friends 

Spending time with our friends is an enriching and soothing experience for our souls. Close friends help us feel more secure and stable in moments of chaos and confusion.

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Somatosensory: The Sense of Touch

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Cuddling

Cuddle with your partner or pet or soft toys. Cuddling releases a chemical called oxytocin in our brain that lowers the amount of the stress hormone. It also invokes a sense of security and comfort during times of distress.

Hug a tree

When we hug a tree, our brain releases the hormones serotonin and dopamine that make us feel happy and calm. Mother Nature’s gift in the form of the free space of forests is always available to ground and heal ourselves.

Bedding and Comforters

Sleeping in a good soothing comforter result in good night sleep. Research shows there is a strong link between how well you sleep and how good you feel. High-quality bedding might have the power to make you both a happier and healthier person.

Cashmere wraps and socks

Put on something soft, like a cashmere wrap or super-fluffy socks, and snuggle into it. Hygge, a Danish concept, is an ideal lesson to happiness. Hygge is a quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being. When we are cosy and warm, we all feel good about it.

Get a massage

Massage is perhaps one of the oldest healing traditions. One of the immediate benefits of massage is a feeling of deep relaxation and calm. It occurs because massage prompts the release of endorphins – the brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that produce feelings of well-being.

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Gustation: The Sense of Taste

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Dark Chocolates

Savour a piece of dark chocolate. As per a study, dark chocolate improves stress levels, inflammation, mood, memory and immunity.

Bananas

Adding a banana to our lunch or smoothie will give us a sweet treat with an extra shot of dopamine. The humble banana contains up to 10 milligrams of dopamine. Many people suffering from depression feel less depressed after eating a banana. Bananas also contain vitamin B6, which even out our mood naturally and relieve symptoms of PMS.

Hot drinks

Sip your favourite hot fluid. Researchers found that the consumption of hot drinks likely contributes to improved mood.

Breakfast

Research shows that people who eat a healthy breakfast have better self-control and higher productivity. Food directly impacts our behaviour and emotions, and adding a healthy breakfast into our morning routine can help improve our mood all day long.

Healthy and balanced diet

Consume a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans and nuts. Studies have shown there are quite a few things we can do, food-wise, to help stabilize our moods.

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Audition: The Perception of Sound

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Listen to a peppy song

Research has found that when we listen to music, our brain releases dopamine. Dopamine is a kind of naturally occurring happy chemical that we receive as part of a reward system.

Uplifting podcast

Listening to a motivational speaker not only picks us up but also inspires us to tap into our hidden inner potential.

Call a dear one

Calling a friend or dear one in times of need help us cope with traumas and losses. In times of stress, take a few minutes to contact a friend or family member with a caring ear. It not only reduces our strain but also gives us a fresh perspective on our problem.

Rhymes

Rhymes not only invoke childlike innocence, playfulness and carefree attitude but also comfort our inner child. My all-time favourite rhyme is – If you happy and you know it.

Music

As per researchers of IIT-Kanpur, Raag Darbari, if listened to during the night hours, is a superb stress buster. Similarly, Raag Bhimpalasi in the noon has a magical impact on mood elevation.

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Olfaction: The Sense of smell

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The scent of essential oils

It stimulates the subconscious part of our brain, thereby healing us on a psychological and emotional level.

Related: 5 methods and uses of ‘Essential oil’.

Lemons

By smelling lemons daily, one can feel healthier and happier. The study at the University of Sussex Computer-Human Interaction (SCHI) Lab found participants felt thinner and lighter when they experienced the scent of lemon.

Fragrance of Incense

We all know how meditation uplifts our mood and gives us a sense of calm in the face of adversities. But meditation with a good incense benefits us in many ways. The crucial thing to be aware of while meditating with incense is that it has natural and non-artificial ingredients.

Perfumes

Wear a perfume that can uplift mood and make you feel confident and benefits overall well-being.

Cooking with herbs

Cook cuisines with herbs that are not just good for health but also have beneficial aromas and flavours.

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Bonus: General tips

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Some of the ways that add some masala to my gloomy days and are my all-time favourites –

Dance or move your body 

I often trick my brain by dancing on some peppy number. It provides a double bonanza as it maintains our physical health and delivers us the benefits of music therapy.

Get some light and fresh air 

Let the fresh air in by opening the windows of your room. This one instantly picks me up and has helped me a lot during my challenging times.  

Decluttering and arranging space

Clutter can make us feel overwhelmed and reduce our productivity. By dumping unnecessary items, we get more time for finishing our jobs in hand. In short, decluttering helps us take charge of our life and our stuff that improves our overall well-being.

Mend something that requires fixing

I love to repair old broken things. By adding worth to these discarded items, I indirectly heal my profound wounds. In this whole process, I gain a sense of comfort and satisfaction.

Journaling

When the thoughts and feelings are too difficult to handle, to purge my internal cache, I put all my mental trash on a piece of paper via journaling. It gives me a sense of spaciousness and lightness.

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Epilogue

Challenges are part of our lives. We all face them in our daily lives. While at the moment, it may seem that there is no end to our sufferings, the fact is nothing lasts forever. The challenge we are facing now will vanish sooner or later. 

The famous quote, “This too shall pass”, can bring hope to our current awful situation. Keep walking through the storm, take breaks, be gentle with yourself and use these mood boosters to get a sense of calm amid chaotic emotions and challenges.

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CAN YOU RELATE? 

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